I Just Want to Steal Your Innocence
by sergeantrosabellaswan
Summary: March 10th, 1917. That was etched onto Rosabella's wrist since birth, her soulmark. Her own soulmate would have October 30th, 1992 on their wrist, in her handwriting. When she meets the Winter Soldier, she discovers dangerous secrets that weren't meant to be discovered…
1. Chapter 1

**I Just Want to Steal Your Innocence**

**March 10th, 1917. That was etched onto Rosabella's wrist since birth, her soulmark. Her own soulmate would have October 30th, 1992 on their wrist, in her handwriting. When she meets the Winter Soldier, she discovers dangerous secrets that weren't meant to be discovered…**

_May 8__th__, 2011_

Nineteen year old Rosabella Swan practically sprinted to keep up with her longer legged boss as they quickly made their way towards the car garage. The blue eyed brunette winced as she thought of the pain her feet would be in later- of all the days that she had decided to wear her favorite pair of heels.

"Get in," SHIELD director Nick Fury ordered his assistant, who wordlessly did as he ordered her to, throwing herself into the car as he climbed into the driver's seat.

The petite young woman settled herself in, having barely enough time to click her seat belt on when the car went screeching out of the garage and towards the Heart of New York City. She squeaked loudly in fear as she slid around on the seat a few inches before emotionally and physically grounding herself by gripping the arm rests.

The ride seemed to last an eternity, but in reality lasted only about ten minutes. The car came to a jolting stop and Fury exited the car, motioning for Rosabella to follow him. She did so, smoothing the front of her polka dotted swing dress with trembling hands as she forced herself to take a calming breath of air in, then out, she stepped out from the vehicle, forcing herself not to start hyperventilating or trembling, forcing herself to wear a little calm and confident mask

"At ease, soldier!" Fury barked, and Rosabella saw what all the commotion was about- a tall, well built blond man with a confused look on his face was staring all around him in wonder. It only took her a second to recognize him, and when she did, a cross between a quiet gasp and a soft sigh escaped through her mouth.

She automatically knew who he was- Steve Rogers, otherwise known as Captain America, Would War 2 veteran and hero. A frown soon creased her eyebrow- hadn't he died when sacrificing himself to stop HYDRA from carrying out a mass murder on uninspected American citizens?

Rosabella wasn't blind to the fact that several other black SUV's had encircled them, making her feel already high anxiety spike dramatically. It took everything she had not to start stroking her soulmark, a nervous tick she'd developed from an early age. Despite the very idea of her soulmate being long dead at this point, she still found comfort in the permanent inkings on her skin.

"Look, I'm sorry about that little show back there, but… we thought it would be best to break it to you slowly." Fury was speaking again. Rosabella wrinkled her nose- it was clear that whatever it was Fury was talking about had gone horribly sideways.

"Break what?" the man asked, his eyes flickering between the director and Rosabella. His gaze softened on the nervous young woman, who was being partly shielded in a slightly protective manner by her one eyed boss. It was obviously clear that there was a slight father- daughter relationship between the two.

"You've been asleep, Cap. For almost seventy years," Fury explained bluntly as Rosabella eased out from behind her boss to give the blond a comforting, yet shy smile.

"You gonna be okay?" she asked him softly as she took a step closer to him and taking his hand gently.

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, looking down at their entwined hands before looking back up again. "I just… I had a date." He scrubbed his face with a hand as he looked around with wide eyes, taking in the modern changes from the New York he grew up knowing.

"A lot to take in?" Rosabella asked quietly as she led him towards a random vehicle that would drive them back to SHIELD headquarters. "I know that feeling- born and raised in Honolulu, moved here to live with my aunt and uncle after my parents were… killed, and I never looked back."

"Honolulu?" He somewhat perked up at this. "As in Honolulu, Hawaii?"

"One in the same, captain," she answered, pushing a stand of curls back behind her ear. For a moment, Steve caught partly a sight of her soulmark on her wrist, but all that he could see was _rch st_. She recovered her wrists with the cardigan that she was wearing once more.

"Seat belt?" Rosabella cocked an eyebrow at him, motioning to the safety feature just over his shoulder. He glanced behind him, jaw dropping open as he began to fumble with it. Rosabella bit back a grin as she plucked it from his hand and smoothly clicked it into place.

"Didn't have these growing up," he informed her as she did her very best not to shoot the driver, who was chuckling, a death glare.

"How did you ever survive?" she lightly teased him, clearing her throat as she settled herself back into her own seat and nodded at the agent to go ahead and drive.

They rode in comfortable silence before Steve blurted out, "You know something, you're a very pretty dame, miss."

Rosabella promptly flushed a deep watermelon pink as she stared at the military captain. She didn't think that she was all that pretty, just… average in looks.

"I mean- you're uh…" he stuttered, turning pink himself, obviously not used to being around girls.

"Thank you," she murmured quietly, looking at him and flashing him a quiet smile. "For the compliment, I mean." She wondered if he really found her pretty, or if he found her choice in retro fashion somewhat familiar and comforting.

"We've arrived, Miss French," the agent who was driving announced and Rosabella straightened up to look out the window.

"Thank you, Mr. Charles, I can take over from here," she said in a confident, yet still soft voice. Just as her seatbelt she undoing her seat belt, Steve was out of the car and opening the door on her side, awkwardly holding out a hand to help her out. Smiling him in thanks, she brushed the nonexistent wrinkles from the skirt of her dress and motioned for Steve to follow her.

"What has happen since I…?" Steve trailed off mid sentence as Rosabella typed in a long string of letters and numbers, scanned her hand print and retina and spoke a phrase, all which opened the door and granted her access to an elevator. "How did the war end? I'm assuming that it ended."

"You went down in 1943, correct?" Rosabella asked him, pushing the button for the thirty fourth floor. He nodded vigorously, being certain to keep a respectful distance from her. "Well, the war didn't end until 1945, when President Truman ordered two atomic bombs, one codenamed 'Little Boy' to be dropped into Hiroshima, the second, named 'Fat Boy', to be dropped into Nagasaki. Upon threat of a third bomb, the country of Japan admitted surrender."

Steve gapped at her as she rocked back onto her heels.

"I know, not the best way to end a war," she voiced what he was thinking as the elevator stopped on the seventeenth floor to allow a portly man with a bald head to get on. He flashed Rosabella an oily smile, which she ignored, subtly placing herself behind Steve. He noticed this and leaned back a bit, sheltering her from his never blinking eyes.

"What floor, sir?" he asked politely, his hand hovering above the console.

"Nineteen," he grunted, obviously disappointed over something having to do with the petite brunette, who was avoiding his gaze as she counted tasks on her fingers while muttering "Paperclip photographs of evidence, file folders that the director has sitting on my desk, buy more individual packets of coffee, tea and hot chocolate for break room, check if bagels, croissants and/ or donuts will be delivered tomorrow, also to the break room…"

_PING_

Steve could feel Rosabella sigh in relief as the squat man left, muttering under his breath. She repositioned herself off to the side of the wartime hero and glanced out the wall- like window of the elevator.

"Thank you," she explained in a soft voice. "That was Jasper Sitwells; he flirts with me every time he sees me; gives the heebie geebies."

"Well, I'm glad to have been of service to you," he grinned, slightly puffing out his chest. The elevator dinged upon reaching the twenty fourth floor, a woman with heavy makeup and a skirt that was too short to have been considered office appropriate getting on. Rosabella rolled her eyes as the newcomer eyeballed Steve.

"Hello Melissa," Rosabella greeted her cheerfully, this time being the one to step in front of Steve. "What floor are you off to?"

"Fifty six," she answered ina high pitch, squeaky voice before getting a good look at Steve, who nodded politely at her before pointing his gaze out the window- like wall of the elevator.

The two women chatted casually about a charity event that Melissa was helping to plan, with the brunette turning to explain certain things to Steve and ask him for input.

"This is us," Rosabella said cheerfully as the elevator stopped at the thirty fourth floor. "Until next time, Melissa."

She led Steve through a twisting maze of corridors before pausing in front of a door and scanned her fingerprint into the lock.

"Amazing," Steve muttered, sitting down when she motioned to a couch off in the corner of the office.

"What is?" she questioned him, shutting the door and busying herself with the stack of files on her desk.

"Technology," he answered honestly. "It'd really evolved since the war."

"Mr. Stark is quite the genius," Rosabella chuckled, looking up from slipping quickly through a slim file.

"Howard? He's still around?" Steve asked, surprise in his voice. "He gotta be, what, around a hundred now?"

Rosabella laughed at his words.

"No, not Howard Stark- he and his wife died in a tragic car accident back in 1991. His son, Tony Stark is a right chip off the old block," she informed him. "He's a bit arrogant and full of himself, but deep down underneath, he's a great guy."

"Oh," Steve deflated, staring down at his folded hands. "Is anyone I knew alive?"

"I'll call in a few favors and check for you," she smiled at him before handing over a framed picture of a handsome young man in a military uniform. "My Papi- my dad's dad. He was in the army during the war- fought in the battle of Normandy, as a matter of fact. He died last year when the two of us went on a trip to Alaska. Saddest day of my life. Last thing I said to him before we retired for the night was, '_I love you, papi. See you in the morning. We can discuss what new adventure we'll conquer over breakfast, yeah_?' I know for a fact that he would've loved meeting you." She removed something from around her neck and handed it to him. "His dog tags- he always wore them- the coroner broke protocol and gave them to me as his body was being removed. He later told me that his father served in the army during the war- turns out, they served together."

Steve took them into his hands, smiling at the familiar feeling of the military issued identification.

"I miss him," Rosabella whispered, straightening up at a sharp rap at the door. "It's open!"

In came Director Fury, who nodded at Steve before sitting in a chair located in the corner of the office at Rosabella's invitation.

"Here's how everything will go down**..."**


	2. Chapter 2

**I Just Want to Steal Your Innocence**

**March 10th, 1917. That was etched onto Rosabella's wrist since birth, her soulmark. Her own soulmate would have October 30th, 1992 on their wrist, in her handwriting. When she meets the Winter Soldier, she discovers dangerous secrets that weren't meant to be discovered…**

_March 21__st__, 2014_

"Wait up Steve- I've got little legs!" Rosabella called out, breaking out into a heavy sprint to catch up with her longer legged friend.

"Sorry!" he apologized, doubling back to collect her, getting a dirty look in response. "Do you want to ride on my back?" Rosabella couldn't tell if he was joking or being serious or poking fun at their comical height difference, so she punched him in the shoulder, harder than she normally would, all in good natured friendship.

"Nah, I'm good running," she grinned, her smile not quite reaching her eyes as she bent down to touch her toes before stretching her arms up over her head. "Whatever was in that serum, I need some, too!"

The two friends were on their usual afternoon run, having just finished a late lunch at a local mom and pop diner a few blocks away from Steve's apartment. The plan was to catch a late night movie before returning to his place for the night.

But Steve's attention was elsewhere.

"What's that?" Steve's eyes were on Rosabella's wrist. Her eyes widened and she was quick to cover the markings etched into the skin of her wrist, but she wasn't quick enough.

"It's my soulmark," she explained in a shy tone of voice. "Though he's probably dead by now."

"What makes you say that?" Steve's voice was a perfect mix of humor and worry as she showed him her wrist. Cradling her hand gently, he flipped it over to read what was imprinted into her skin.

**March 10th, 1917**

"Odd thing, isn't it? To think that I'm destined to love someone who's old enough to be my Papi's war buddy!" It was her turn to chortle, not realizing the look that came over her friend's face.

"Why do you cover it up?" Steve asked her, letting go of her wrist and continuing their morning workout, only at a slow jog so that they could converse easier. "Back in the day, people who had a soulmark showed it off- it was considered something to be proud of."

She shrugged out an answer, saying, "The age gap kinda freaks me out and I don't like the looks other people give me for being bonded to someone so old." She paused before changing the subject quickly by asking, "Did you know anyone who had a soulmark?"

Here, Steve paused, thinking his answer through carefully before deciding to go with part of the truth. Birthdates were on public record nowadays, so she could look up a date and with a bit of detective work, figure out who she was destined to be with. If she did this and found out that he was holding something back from her, he would be in big trouble- the last thing he wanted to be was be on the receiving end of her infamous temper.

"Bucky had one," he answered softly with a chuckle. "But I only saw it once or twice, believe it or not. I can't remember anything about it," he quickly added in.

Luckily, Rosabella didn't question him, instead choosing to gently rub at her soulmark, something that Steve had since recognized as being a comforting tick that she had developed early on in life.

"I know you must miss him," she whispered, pausing as a small group of children began racing over. "I miss my parents." Steve didn't get a chance to ask her what happened to them, instead getting hounded by kids, all asking excited questions at the speed of light.

Rosabella giggled as she stood off to the side, watching Steve interacting with the kids as though they were his own. A sudden though came into her mind- _he would make a great father_. She knew whoever the woman was that would catch his eye would be a lucky dame indeed.

"Is she your girlfriend?" a little girl asked, pointing a finger at Rosabella, who giggled at her innocent question. Steve made a face, answering her question with the single most disgusted expression he could muster up.

"She's like the little sister I never knew I wanted," he told her. Rosabella could see the affection in his eyes as his gaze lingered on her.

"Sometimes, she sits on me," a chubby little boy piped up, glaring at his sister, who huffed dramatically.

"You pinch my nose shut!" she whined, stomping her foot again and crossing her arms.

Steve couldn't help the laughter that rumbled from his chest as he gave them his best unamused face.

"Fighting is not good," he gently told them before standing up. "I need to go, my friend is waiting for me!" He waved goodbye, slapping a few hands before jogging off to join Rosabella.

"You're really good with kids," she observed as they crossed the street to double back to his apartment to get cleaned up and go to the diner and then the movie theater.

"It's just something that I picked up in the crèche at work," Steve shrugged, ever modest. "I like spending time there, the kids are really sweet."

"Can't argue with you there," Rosabella chuckled as she bumped her shoulder into his arm, making him chuckle as well and wrap an arm around her fondly.

"You shower first," he told her as they entered the lobby of his apartment, where there were a few teenage girls waiting to ambush him.

"I can never get used to them," Rosabella said, making a face as they quickly made a beeline for the elevator for the short ride to the sixth floor.

Steve shrugged his shoulders, muttering "It comes with the territory," as he opened the door. Rosabella made a beeline for the bathroom, leaving Steve alone with his thoughts.

Fifteen minutes later, she emerged, dressed for the evening in a swing dress with white polka dots and a sweater draped over her shoulders, her normally untamable curls in a strict French braid, and carrying her purse and heels in separate hands.

"Your turn," she grinned before sitting on the couch and beginning to do her makeup. As she was applying mascara, she heard a door open.

"It hadn't been five minutes, do you need me to-" She turned around and barely managed to suppress a shriek.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve came bursting from the shower, his blond hair plastered to his face and his shirt on backwards.

"How did you get in here?" Rosabella asked, a hand clutching at her heart. "Sir?" she added in hastily as SHIELD director Nick Fury raised an eyebrow at his assistant.

"I have a key," he explained simply, looking up at Steve, who skidded into the living room, breathing heavily.

"I don't remember giving you a key," Steve muttered, sitting down next to Rosabella, who automatically set down her heels and purse and leaned forward, getting ready to hear out her boss. Her hand automatically found Steve's, which she gripped as her gut began to scream **_WRANING DANGER AHEAD PROCEED WITH CAUTION_**.

"You really think I'd need one?" snorted the director before sobering up. "My wife kicked me out."

"Didn't know you were married," Steve muttered, glancing over at Rosabella and seeing the look in eyes that were screaming, **_He's_**_**lying**_! She knew that he always had a reason for doing what he did, but whatever motive he had today, she didn't know. And that scared her.

"A lot of things you don't know about me," shrugged Fury as Steve switched on the lights to brighten the dark room.

"I know, Nick," sighed Steve. "That's the problem."

Rosabella gasped loudly, making her friend whirl around and notice the injuries that the man had. Rosabella was quick to stand and make a beeline for the bathroom to collect the first aid kit from under the sink, kneeling before her boss to administrate first aid.

Fury brought his finger to his mouth, the universal signal for **_be_**_**quiet**_ before taking out his phone and typing something. He showed it to both Steve and Rosabella, to read.

**EARS EVERYWHERE**

"I'm sorry to have to do this, but I have no place else to crash," Fury said vaguely, typing down another message.

**SHIELD COMPROMISED**

Rosabella felt his stomach tying in knots. She was concerned about what would happen to Steve if SHIELD had been truly compromised- she had made close friends with many of the agents employed with the agency and wondered what would become of them.

"Who else knows about your… wife?" Steve asked, trying to sound natural as Rosabella carefully bandaged up a cut on Fury's face.

**JUST THE THREE OF US**

"Just…" Fury winced as she sprayed alcohol onto a gasp on his arm, murmuring soft apologizes to her boss in the process. "My friends."

"Is that what we are?" Steve asked dryly.

"That's up to you," Fury said before three quick shots from a high powered sniper's rifle sounded off in quick succession. Rosabella screamed in pain as her boss collapsed into her lap as she clutched at her shoulder as warm, sticky blood began to stain her dress.

Rosabella forced herself up and staggered after Steve dragging her boss into another room, leaning against the wall for better support as she witnessed the director handing something to Steve and whispering into his ear before passing out.

"Rosabella!" Steve yelled, in a clear panic, as she appeared in the doorway, shaking and swaying as she struggled to remain conscious.

Just then, the sound of someone breaking into the apartment reached their ears and Steve yanking Rosabella behind him protectively as his pretty blonde neighbor entered with a gun drawn. For a moment, the petite blue eyed young woman closed her eyes, wondering if she was going to die drenched in her boss's blood and with a bullet in limp her shoulder.

"Captain Rogers?" she asked, lowering her weapon. "Captain, I'm Agent 13 of SHIELD Special Service."

"Kate?" Steve asked, confused as Rosabella leaned on him, clutching at his shirt to stabilize herself better. She was half aware that she was transferring blood onto the back of his shirt, but her eyesight was growing fuzzy as she fought to remain awake.

"I'm assigned to protect you," she explained shortly, lowering her gun slowly.

"On whose orders?" Steve bristled up just before she noticed Fury lying behind him, unresponsive.

"His," she breathed out, pushing past him and kneeling next to Fury. "Foxtrot is down, he's unresponsive- I need EMT's!"

"Do you have a twenty on the shooter?" the person on the other side of the radio asked just as Steve opened the window and leaned out, squinting as he tried to catch a glimpse.

"Tell him I'm in pursuit!" he ordered before smashing through the window and taking off after the shooter.

Rosabella winced as she lowered herself to the floor, making a note to pay for Steve's apartment to be cleaned before she passed ou**t.**


	4. Chapter 4

Rosabella had refused to sit by while her boss was in surgery, so when the doctor's backs were turned, she tied a pillowcase into a crude sling and slipped out of the hospital room that she had been assigned to, and made her way to Steve's location, which wasn't hard to find- the place was crawling with agents. Luckily, she was easily recognizable, even in a hospital gown and her curls in unprofessional disarray. She slowly made her way over to Steve, leaning on an Agent's offered arm, not caring that her underwear was on clear display.

"Rosabella!" Steve greeted her worriedly, taking her face into his hands as he looked her over for injuries; upon seeing her shoulder all wrapped up, his eyes fought back anger and instead focused on kindness. "Are you alright?"

She reached into her sling and came up with a little capped cup, which she handed to him. Steve held it up to the light as he was quick to identify it as being the bullet that had lodged itself into her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he repeated himself, wrapping an arm around her as she leaned into him for support.

"Is he going to make it?" she asked, turning to the doctors who were operating on her boss.

"I don't know," Steve answered honestly, gently squeezing her shoulder, either giving comfort or seeking it, neither one knew. "Agent Hill," he greeted someone.

Rosabella didn't look up as the two talked ballistics, the words making her freeze up.

_Yup, it's him alright_, she thought grimly as a flat _BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP…_ made her jump in fright.

"I want you to charge him at one hundred!" barked the head doctor.

"Don't do this to me, sir," whispered Rosabella tearfully. "Please don't do this to me, I beg you, sir, please!"

"Stand back! Three, two, one. Clear!" Fury was given a shock with the defibrillator. "Pulse?"

"No pulse," answered a male nurse, getting a hoarse cry from Rosabella, who couldn't stop watching the nightmare unfolding before her.

"No pulse," confirmed another doctor.

"Okay, two hundred, please. Stand back! Three, two, one. Clear!" the doctor called out once more. "Give me epinephrine! Pulse?"

"Negative," the same male nurse called out.

"Don't do this to me, please!" whimpered Rosabella, tears dripping down her face. "Please sir- don't do this to me!"

Finally, the head doctor called for the time of death, and Rosabella buried her face into Steve's shirt, bawling her eyes out hysterically as Agent Hill rubbed her back comfortingly.

**~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~**

Rosabella tried to be strong as the casket was lowered into the ground. Dressed entirely in dark, somber colors, the only speck of color the yellow handkerchief she'd forgotten she had in the pocket of her coat. Besides her, Steve stood dresses in his military dress uniform, breaking all protocol with an arm wrapped around the sobbing woman's shoulders, offering her comfort.

"I miss him," she sniffled as the service ended. "I mean, he was stern and didn't smile much, but he was a good man- the closest thing to a father since mom and dad were murdered."

"Rosabella." Steve stopped her and turned so that they were facing each other. "I'd understand if you don't want to tell me-"

"No Steve," Rosabella cupped his face in one hand, sniffling as she struggled to keep her voice steady. "You came into my life three years ago- it's about time you I told you."

**~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~**

"We were driving back home following a community production of _Sweedny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street_. It was closing night- I played the maker of… unsavory… meat pies… Mrs. Lovett- I still have a copy of that night's production that mom filmed- I'll show it to you- I was doing an impersonation of Nathan- who played the lead- being silly during final dress rehearsals. My parents were cracking up, I was smiling, life couldn't be any better."

Rosabella let out a shuttering breath of air.

"To get to our home, you had to drive up a hill that curved around. We were partway up to the top when one of the tired popped, and the car broke through the crash barrier and we plummeted fifty feet into a ditch. Luckily, I survived."

Rosabella shuddered again, leaning into Steve as he scooted closer and wrapped his arms around the crying girl, being careful of her shoulder.

"My parents survived too- before they each got a bullet pumped into their heads. I didn't find that out until the police came to ask me questions and make barely there accusations about why I could've murdered my parents- I loved them, we had a good relationship. I mean, sure, we had our disagreements, I was quick to point out that I was _literally_ _trapped_ in the car when it went and lost control, so how could I have possibly made the tire blow out?"

Steve tugged her in closer, hating the fact that he couldn't make her stop hurting. She grabbed fistfuls of his military jacket and buried her face into his chest, feeling the pain all over again.

"Whoever murdered Fury is also responsible for my parents," she told him. "Ballistics- two slugs, no rifling, Soviet made- basically untraceable. It's all the same as with mom and dad. My gut's telling me that it's the same bastard who left me an orphan."

Steve stayed quiet as she shifted, so that she was practically on his lap, her arms looped around his neck.

"You know what I think you need?" Steve asked softly. "Movie night- you pick, I'll make popcorn."

"You know which movie I'll pick," she called out as he stood, shedding his jacket and helping her one good arm into it before going into the kitchen. Rosabella smiled as she bent down in front of the DVD case, quickly locating the film that she wanted to share with her friend.

"_Attend the tale of Sweedny Todd… his skin was pale, his eye was odd… he shaved the faces of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard of again… he trod a path that few had trod… did Sweedny Todd… the demon barber of Fleet Street…_"

Steve's eyes were fixated on the TV screen as Rosabella and who he presumed to be Nathan acting off of each other and told the diabolical tale of a barber who had been unfairly imprisoned and turned his anger into taking revenge by providing the meat filling for his neighbor's pies, laughing every few minutes at the comedic drama.

"I was honestly not expecting that ending," he blinked, glancing down at Rosabella, who had a sad smile on her face.

"It's a classic," she sniffled. "Well, how about something slightly more cheerful? I don't think I showed you any Disney films, have I?" Rosabella shot her friend a water smile, standing to open the cabinet where she kept her vast collection of DVDs.

"You mean Snow White?" Steve asked her, his eyebrow shooting up as she took out a few DVDs, pausing to look up at him.

"The company released a bunch of other films since then- I'll show you," she told him, tossing the cases she pulled out.

Steve looked them over- _Frozen_, _Brave_, _Robin Hood_, _Coco _and _Tangled_.

"Oh, this is…" he trailed off as Rosabella stood and began to walk to her bedroom. "Where are you going?" he called, noticing that she left her door partway open.

"I want to put on my pajamas before the film starts," she explained. "You choose and I'll be back out in a few minutes."

True to her words, she came back out dressed in purple sweatpants and a pink tank top that had yellow flower embroidery.

"This one," he decided, standing to put the DVD in. "My turn to change."

"Hang up your uniform and I'll send it to get dry cleaned," she called out, wincing as her shoulder let out a painful twinge.

A few minutes later, Steve appeared, also in sweats, laying his uniform on the back of the couch and sat down, opening his arm to let Rosabella snuggle into his side.

"What did you pick?" Rosabella asked as the film menu popped up. "Not a bad pick; _Tangled_ is one of my favorites."

"_This is the story of how I died… well, don't worry- this is actually a very fun story and the truth is that it isn't even mine- this is the story of a girl, named Rapunzel… And it starts with the sun…_"


	5. Chapter 5

Rosabella sniffled back a tear as she expertly balanced a coffee cup in one hand and a copy of the morning paper under her arm as she knocked on the door to Director Fury's old office.

"Come in!" She braced herself as she opened the door and entered the room. To her emotional relief, there were no changes to the office, other than a framed photo on the desk. Director Fury didn't leave any personal belongings out; every once in a while, Rosabella would poke fun at his obsession with being as mysterious as possible, which would always earn her a look between a smile and a glare.

"Good morning sir," she sweetly greeted the older man. She couldn't help but notice the faint streaks of grey that marked his thinning blond hair, nor the way he made her uneasy. She kept the smile on her face as she handed him the coffee and placed the newspaper onto the desk, just the way Fury liked it. "I'm Director Fury's assistant, sir- Rosabella French, but then again you probably knew that already…?"

She trailed off as he all but suffered a choking fit on his first sip of morning coffee.

"I apologize, my dear," he coughed, setting the drink down and taking a deep breath of air. "But I wasn't expecting for you to be so… _young_."

"Graduated high school at fourteen, then Columbus University at eighteen with duel degrees in history and law," she told him, her mind quirking up an eyebrow at his blatant lie. "Director Fury personally contacted me and asked me to join SHIELD following the farewell dinner with my fellow college classmates."

"Impressive," he muttered before standing and offering a hand to her. "Alexander Pierce."

"A pleasure to meet you, sir." Rosabella's gut was telling her that he wasn't to be trusted as she shook his hand, all the while keeping the sweet smile on her face.

"I do hope you don't mind, but I have some questions following the assassination on Fury," Pierce told her in a kindly voice as he motioned to a chair across from the desk. She took a seat, smoothing out the skirt of her dress to hide how shaky her hands got.

"Were you aware of Fury handing anything to Captain Rogers following being shot?" was the first question she was asked.

Rosabella took a deep breath of air in before exhaling.

"No, sir. If anything was exchanged between the two of them, I wasn't aware of it- I myself was shot after all." She motioned to her arm, the sling keeping iyt from being jostled too much while it healed.

"Besides, all that I can really remember was Steve's neighbor- Kate- she identified herself as Agent 13, I think? She came bursting into the apartment and Steve jumped out a window…" Here, she trailed off, biting her lip as she struggled to remember exactly what happened two days previously. "Oh, and the pain- I knew getting shot would hurt, but that was _excruciatingly_ painful."

"I know what it's like to get shot- went through that quite a few times." The corner of Rosabella's eye slightly twitched at his attempt to win her over. She sniffled, looking away for a moment as tears formed in her eyes. "I can't imagine how hard this is for you," he continued, leaning over to pat her hands. She wanted to recoil at his touch, but forced herself to accept his attempt at trying to comfort her. "But what all can you remember before he was…?"

"He looked like someone tried to beat him to death," she bluntly said, reaching for a tissue from her handbag. "It's difficult to make me cry, I swear, sir."

"I understand, my dear." He nudged a box of tissues towards her and she plucked one out, barely able to contain the shudder at the name he'd just called her.

"Hmm…" he hummed. "And- I'm sorry, but I have to ask such a personal question, my dear- now is it true that you live with Captain Rogers?"

"_Live with_?" she snorted in amusement at what he was implying. "I crash at his place from time to time, when my anxiety gets out of control and I can't stay by myself." This seemed to disappoint Pierce greatly. "I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, sir."

"No, don't be sorry, my dear," he chuckled humorlessly, leaning forward to place his elbows onto his knees.

Silence took over the room once more, neither one wanting to speak. Rosabella bided her time, figuring that he had something to tell her.

"Ah, captain!" She jumped at his voice, not directed at her thankfully. She stood and smiled shakily at Steve, who returned the smile. "I'm Alexander Pierce."

"Sir, it's an honor," Steve said, firmly shaking the offered hand.

"The honor is mine, captain- my father served in the 101st." Pierce sat down and motioned for the soldier to sit. Rosabella's nose wrinkled- she could spot a liar easily, and if her gut was right, this man was a snake pit full of lies. She remained sitting and began to work on her work issued tablet, sorting documents and other electronic folders.

She noticed what the picture on his desk was, and she couldn't help but pick it up. Her old boss, with his signature non smiling face and both eyes. An much younger Pierce stood next to him, both in dress uniform.

Pierce noticed her with the picture and smiled. "That photo was taken five years after Nick and I met. When I was at State Department in Bogota. ELN rebels took the embassy, and security got me out, but the rebels took hostages. Nick was deputy chief for the SHIELD station there. And he comes to me with a plan. He wants to storm the building through the sewers. I said, "No, we'll negotiate." Turned out the ELN didn't negotiate, so they put out a kill order. They stormed the basement, and what did they find? They find it empty. Nick had ignored my direct order and carried out an unauthorized military operation on foreign soil. He saved the lives of a dozen political officers, including my daughter."

Rosabella couldn't help but frown; if he truly did have a daughter, he would have a picture, if not several, of her somewhere in the office. Luckily, Pierce didn't notice her face, but Steve did.

"So you gave him a promotion," Steve said after a barely a brief second's pause.

"I've never had any cause to regret it." Pierce turned from looking out the window and faced Steve. "Captain, why was Nick in your apartment last night?"

The brunette young woman blinked at how quickly the subject was changed.

"I don't know," Steve answered honestly. Rosabella didn't have to catch his eye to know that he didn't trust Pierce as far as he could throw him, either.

"Did you know it was bugged?" Pierce asked then.

"I did, because Nick told me," was the answer from the American soldier. Rosabella's face paled at the answer

"Did he tell you that he was the one who bugged it?" Rosabella frowned and shook her head. Nothing was really making any sense anymore. "I want you to see something."

He turned on the TV, where the first thing Rosabella noticed was that there was a stamp on the upper right hand corner flashing the word **_LIVE_**. A man who she'd never seen before was being asked questions, however, he stayed silent.

"_Who hired you, Batroc_?"

Rosabella had to fight to keep her face from paling even more. Her father had once worked with a Mr. Batroc- could he be the same man?

"Is that live?" Steve asked, a frown appearing in between his eyebrows.

"Yeah, they picked him up last night in a not-so-safe house in Algiers," Pierce answered, turning back to Rosabella, who found herself playing with the collection of charm bracelets that she often wore to disguise her soulmark.

"Are you saying he's a suspect? Assassination isn't Batroc's line." Rosabella didn't have to look at him to see that he was frowning heavily.

"No, it's more complicated than that." Rosabella was starting to not trust the man more and more as the minutes ticked by. "Batroc was hired anonymously to attack the Lemurian Star and he was contacted by e-mail and paid by wire transfer. And then the money was run through seventeen fictitious accounts, the last one going to a holding company that was registered to a Jacob Veech."

"Am I supposed to know who that is?" Steve asked before being handed a file.

"Not likely. Veech died six years ago. His last address was 14- 35 Elmhurst Drive. When I first met Nick his mother lived at 14- 37." Rosabella couldn't help but feel that Pierce was hiding something monumental to the case at hand.

"Are you saying Fury hired the pirates? Why?" Rosabella found herself asking before flushing as both men turned to face her. "I apologize, director, captain. That was out of line."

Pierce chuckled without humor, the sound making her want to shiver at the creepiness of the sound. "The prevailing theory was that the hijacking was a cover for the acquisition and sale of classified intelligence. The sale went sour and that led to Nick's death."

"If you really knew Nick Fury you'd know that's not true," Steve retorted hotly. Rosabella sent him a glare that settled him down, but readapted her face when Pierce turned to glance at her.

"Why do you think we're talking? See, I took a seat on the Council not because I wanted to but because Nick asked me to, because we were both realists. We knew that despite all the diplomacy and the handshaking and the rhetoric, that to build a really better world sometimes means having to tear the old one down. And that makes enemies. Those people that call you dirty because you got the guts to stick your hands in the mud and try to build something better. And the idea that those people could be happy today, makes me really, really angry." Here, Pierce paused. "Captain, you were the last one to see Nick alive. I don't think that's an accident, and I don't think you do either. So I'm gonna ask again, why was he there?"

"He told me not to trust anyone," was the answer. Short and to the point.

"I wonder if that included him," Pierce said. Here, Steve paused for a moment before replying.

"I'm sorry. Those were his last words. Excuse me." Steve picked up his shield and placed it onto his back before turning to make his way out of the office.

"Captain." Steve stopped and turned to look at Pierce. "Somebody murdered my friend and I'm gonna find out why. Anyone gets in my way, they're gonna regret it. Anyone."

Rosabella couldn't help but shiver at his clear threat.

"Understood." Steve turned to leave the office.

"Captain, I'll walk you out to the lobby," Rosabella volunteered in a rush, offering her new boss a sweet smile before leading Steve out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

"I don't trust Pierce," Steve muttered into Rosabella's ear as they both stood in the elevator.

The brunette sighed heavily, switching her weight to her other foot as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't either, but I'm still going to give him a chance," she breathed out in a almost silent whisper. If Steve hadn't been looking at her lips, he wouldn't have known that she had said anything.

"Operations control," Steve grunted out, prompting the elevator to start moving down. They both basked in awkward silence for a minute more before the lift stopped to let on three men, all in STRIKE gear.

"Keep all STRIKE personnel on site," a man was saying- Rosabella got the feeling it wasn't to either of the other two STRIKE team members.

"Understood," said one man, looking straight ahead of him with his hands clasped behind him.

"Yes sir," chimed in the second man, taking a step backwards, next to Rosabella.

"Forensics," the first man commanded the elevator as Steve gently pulled her to the other side of him, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders as she leaned into his side.

"Cap," the leader greeted Steve, nodding respectfully at her. "Ma'am."

"Rosabella French," she introduced herself sweetly, her smile shaky as she adverted her gaze to her toes.

"Brock Rumlow." She practically shivered at the dark chuckle that escaped his mouth. "Evidence Response found some fibers on the roof they want us to see. You want me to get the TAC team ready?"

"No," Steve firmly answered. "Let's wait and see what it is first."

"Right." Rumlow nodded. Rosabella couldn't help but notice that one of the STRIKE agents kept touching his weapon nervously. The elevator stopped and more STRIKE agents filed in, making her feel somewhat claustrophobic.

"Wow, talk about sardines in a can, eh?" she joked, getting a wry smile out of Rumlow.

"What's the status so far?" one of the newcomers was saying, his hand at his ear as he nodded a not-so-friendly greeting to her.

"Administrations level," the second newcomer said before bumping into Rosabella accidently. "Oh, excuse me."

"You are excused," Rosabella responded politely, her eyebrows scrunched up together as she tried to figure out what half of almost an entire squadron of STRIKE personals were doing squished into one elevator. Surely, everyone could've taken different lifts to their destinations?

"I'm sorry about what happened with Fury. Messed up, what happened to him."

Rosabella jumped and stared at Rumlow, who was fidgeting with something in his pocket. Tears began to form in her eyes and it took everything she had not to burst out crying.

"Thank you," Steve said as the elevator stopped to let four more STRIKE agents on. Rosabella turned to ask one of the men what was going on only to see him sweating bullet.

"Records," one of the newcomers said in a monotone.

It took Rosabella but a second to realize that both she and Steve were now surrounded by agents.

"Before we get started," Steve suddenly spoke up, pushing Rosabella behind him. "Does anyone want to get off?"

She wasn't sure who threw the first punch, but she knew Steve pushed her into a corner, where she hugged the wall and watched as the man who she saw as the big brother she never knew she wanted fighting the entirety of a STRIKE squadron.

Rosabella had her eyes squeezed shut when Steve made the elevator free fall about a dozen stories, a terrified shriek escaping from her as he continued to fight, not for himself, but for the terrified woman who he considered to be family.

"Rosabella!" Her eyes were still tightly closed as she felt someone shaking her shoulder. She jumped and lobbed out a clumsy left handed punch, which was adverted with a gentle hand. She cracked opened an eye and saw that it was Steve.

"Steve?" she whimpered, touching his face as he rested his forehead on hers. "What just happened?"

"I don't know," he answered, his voice just as soft. "But I'm gonna get you outta here, yeah?"

Rosabella nodded her head, her knees shaking, hiding behind Steve as he pried open the doors for her to slip out only to be met by another squadron of STRIKE. He quickly shut the door and turned to face her.

"Don't trust anyone," he murmured before placing a chaste kiss onto her lips. Rosabella clung to him, inadvertently deepening the kiss before he broke free and whispered into her ear, "And be safe."

"Steve?" she whimpered, blindly clinging to his hand, which he squeezed before slipping free. "What are you…"

He backed up before three long strides forward, using his shield to break the glass and freefall twenty four floors down to the concrete walkway.

"**_STEVE!_**" Rosabella shrieked, falling to her knees, ignoring the groaning men that surrounded her and glass from the window as she carefully crawled over to peer down through the broken glass. To her utter relief, Steve was alive and running off. The young woman was dimly aware of a man in STRIKE uniform carefully lifting her up and out of the elevator. Tears ran down her face as a tinny voice reached her ears.

"He's headed for the garage. Lock down the bridge!" It took her a few second to recognize the voice as belonging to the oily little man to constantly tried to have eye sex with her.

Rosabella was partly aware of her body going into shock as she was hustled to a room to await Pierce and his questions. She began to tremble uncontrollable and hyperventilate as blood weakly trickled from her hands and legs where she had fallen. She was so far out of it that she wasn't aware of the pain that was shooting from their cuts and scrapes.

"Miss French, you'd have to forgive me if I'm suspicious of you, but..." Director Pierce froze before he had even entered the room fully, taking in the young woman's state. He stopped in his tracks before swearing under his breath. "Miss French?" he called, stepping tentatively to her. He knelt in front of her and waved his hand in front of her glazed eyes and got no response.

"Rosabella?" he called softly, before understanding what was wrong. "Rumlow! Call for an ambulance- she's gone into shock!"


	7. Chapter 7

Rosabella woke up later that afternoon, dressed once more in a hospital gown and with an oxygen mask strapped onto her face.

"What happened?" she groaned sleepily, blinking the sleep out of her eyes and sitting up.

"Miss French."

She groggily turned her head and saw that it was Pierce, who sat in a chair in a corner of the room.

And then, it all came crashing back.

_Leading Steve out of Pierce's office and to the elevators._

_Their quiet conversation._

_STRIKE ambushing Steve._

_The freefall elevator._

_Steve telling her not to trust anyone and to be safe before throwing himself from the elevator._

_The kiss._

Just then, Brock Rumlow entered the hospital room, his face stoic as he nodded at Pierce, having the nerve to completely ignore Rosabella as he began to update the director.

"Sir, we-"

"You!" Rosabella snarled, ripping off the oxygen mask, crossing the room on shaky legs and grabbing Rumlow by the collar before pinning him to the wall. "No one goes after my family, not without facing the consequences!" Her face was spitting a certain rage that terrified the man.

"Family?" Pierce asked, hiding his amusement at the sight of Rumlow, who had a foot and a half advantage, however was practically cowering in the presence of the petite woman's wrath.

"He's adopted," Rosabella admitted through gritted teeth. She took a violent swing at Rumlow, which he blocked and gently twisted her arms and pinned them to her back.

"I'm gonna boil your teeth and fill your sinuses with urine!" Rosabella squealed in absolute rage as a doctor and three nurses rushed in. Pierce hid his smile by coughing into his hand at her creative yet odd choice of insults.

"He almost killed my brother! I'm going to kill him!" Rosabella shrieked as she twisted Rumlow's arms around and locked his neck in the crook of her elbow and putting rapid pressure on his throats so that he fell to the floor, one arm shakily holding him up.

"Rosabella, you certainly are a little spitfire," Pierce chuckled, waving the hospital staff off as he approached.

"Why the hell did you order a hit on Steve?" Rosabella demanded an answer.

"Did you know that Captain Rogers is a traitor?" he finally spoke, though the last words that Rosabella expected to hear. She still gripped Rumlow tightly as her arm weakened by the second.

"Steve?" she snorted. "He's the most loyal, patriotic, sweetest, kindest employee that SHIELD has ever known! He often times goes out of his way to help others people- even those he doesn't know- for example, running to the grocery store for Mrs. Huddlesons, right across the hall; she's ninety seven and getting around is a challenge for her. He couldn't even kick a puppy even if his life was on the line- if that doesn't tell you how good a man he is, you need to go get your head checked because obviously you've got more than a few screws loose." Rosabella's face was serious and a bit angry. Pierce gulped before straightening his posture.

Piece silently took out a folder out a folder and placing it into her lap. She reluctantly released Rumlow from her iron grip; he fell onto the floor, gasping and wheezing for breath as he clutched at his throat. Rosabella picked up the file up and opened it, her mouth dropping at the pile of evidence she knew to be false and hastily stitched together, that flooded into her lap.

"What is this?" she demanded to know, her voice quivering as she tried to remain angry.

"Captain Rogers is withholding information about Director Fury's death and I'm going to find out why," was all that Pierce was able to get out before Rumlow stumbled to his feet and staggered away from Rosabella, who was scanning through the documents.

"If you're looking for an apology, go look somewhere else," she told him without even looking up. She missed the exchanged looks between the director and task force leader as she continued to thumb through the papers.

_At least Rumlow now looks at me with respect and not as though I'm a piece of meat_, Rosabella thought as she began to use her acting skills to pretend that she was confused at what was being said to her.

**~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~xoXox~**

"Rosabella?"

Rosabella's eyes cracked open at her name; standing by the side of the bed was a somewhat recognizable man wearing thick rimmed glasses and a WW2 veteran baseball cap. It took her hazy fog of a brain a few minutes to process who was in her room.

"Steve!" she whispered with a weak smile, reaching up for him.

He chuckled, sitting down on her bed and leaning down to kiss her. His soft lips were gentle and slow, such a dramatic transition from twelve hours earlier, where it had been frantic and needy.

"Natasha has the security guards stationed outside your door occupied," he told her softly after drawing back a few inches. "And she also knocked out the security cameras; she suspects that Pierce had your room bugged."

"Are you alright?" she murmured softly into his mouth as he gave her a series of quick kisses on her lips. "You terrified me."

"I'm sorry." Rosabella could tell that he was.

"Wait a second- Natasha? As in _Natasha Romanoff_?" she suddenly squeaked, sitting up a little bit more. "What on earth are you doing with her?"

"We're together," he answered simply, kissing the side of her mouth this time.

"Together in what way?" she mumbled, cramming her face into the space between his neck and his shoulder.

"Not that way, doll," Steve whispered softly into her curls, piled on top of her head in a sloppy knot. "You'll always be my best girl."

"But isn't Peggy…" Rosabella asked softly, gently tracing Steve's jawbone with her thumb.

"I'm trying to move on," Steve cradled her close to his strong chest, smiling as she wrapped her one good arm around his neck and clung to him. "I need to move on- I missed out on the last seventy years. I can never go back. I can only move forward. And who better to do it with then my best friend, the one person who I feel safe opening up to? Who doesn't take any crap that I unitentially fling her way?"

Rosabella's heart was fluttering in her chest as she kissed him, harder this time. If not for the fact that they were sitting, Rosabella would've knocked Steve over with the force that she catapulted herself at him with.

"If you're saying what I think you're saying, me too," she whispered, crashing her lips onto his. "I feel the same way about you."

"Steve?"

Rosabella and Steve looked up from each other. A tall, willowy redhead wearing a hoodie stood in the doorway, her eyes taking in the petite brunette laying in the uncomfortable hospital bed.

"It time?" he asked, his thumb rubbing circles into her knuckles. "Give us a minute."

She nodded and stood guard, her back to Rosabella and Steve as they kissed, practically making out between soft pants and little groans.

"Go," Rosabella gasped, finally pushing him away.

"I love you," he murmured softly, kissing her one more time before leaving the room.

"I know."


End file.
